The number of employed persons in South Africa rose by 248,000 over a quarter to 17.1 million in Q3 2025, the highest since Q4 2024. Employed Persons in South Africa averaged 15106.82 from 2001 until 2025, reaching an all time high of 17078.00 in the fourth quarter of 2024 and a record low of 11666.00 in the first quarter of 2003. source: Statistics South Africa

Employed Persons in South Africa is expected to be 16850.00 by the end of this quarter, according to Trading Economics global macro models and analysts expectations. In the long-term, the South Africa Employed Persons is projected to trend around 17400.00 in 2026 and 18100.00 in 2027, according to our econometric models.



Related Last Previous Unit Reference
Employed Persons 17055.00 16807.00 Sep 2025
Employment Rate 40.70 40.20 percent Sep 2025
Labor Force Participation Rate 59.70 60.20 percent Sep 2025
Population 63.02 62.20 Million Dec 2024
Unemployed Persons 8007.00 8367.00 Thousand Sep 2025
Unemployment Rate 31.90 33.20 percent Sep 2025
Wages 29490.00 29402.00 ZAR/Month Sep 2025
Wages in Manufacturing 24998.00 24464.00 ZAR/Month Sep 2025
Youth Unemployment Rate 58.50 62.20 percent Sep 2025


South Africa Employed Persons
In South Africa, employed persons refer to the number of people employed by the business, who received payment (in salaries; wages; commission, in addition to a retainer, salary or wage; piece rates; or payments in kind) for any part of the reference period. This excludes independent contractors and consultants; working proprietors; sole and joint owners; and employees paid on a commission basis where a retainer, salary or wage was not paid. Number of employees refers to the number of people employed at the end of the reference period.
Actual Previous Highest Lowest Dates Unit Frequency
17055.00 16807.00 17078.00 11666.00 2001 - 2025 Quarterly
Volume, NSA